Nothing Feels Like You
by DestroyShelbeyy
Summary: After meeting the beautiful Jade Armstrong during a rain delay at Comerica Park, Alex Avila is sure he has met her before. Too scared to say anything for fear he will remember the day they originally met, Jade plays it cool... but she cannot help but give in a little bit. Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the Detroit Tigers.
1. Chapter 1

A pit formed in Jade's stomach as they entered downtown Detroit. The dirty, cracked concrete walls of the freeway whipped by and darkness captured the vehicle as they drove through tunnels. It had been so long since she had been in this part of her favorite city.

"Are you excited?" Melanie—Jade's best friend—asked joyfully, nudging the redhead in the ribs with her elbow.

"W-what?" Jade murmured, breaking her trance. "Oh yeah," she said, almost blushing. "I should really be asking _you _if you're excited, Mel. This is your first Tigers game!" A smile broke across the plane of Jade's once sullen face.

"Oh, well, ya know, I'm not that big of a baseball fan," Melanie shrugged, waving her hand in the air.

"Either way," Bobby cut in, looking at his two friends in the rearview mirror, "you'll have an awesome time. It's not just a baseball game… it's an experience!"

"He's right," Jade nodded. She put her arm around her best friend's shoulders and pulled out her phone. "Let's get a quick selfie before we reach Comerica Park." The two young women posed with ridiculous face and Jade snapped the photo.

The rest of the trip seemed to have moved into slow motion—every second dragged by until they reached the parking of Comerica Park. The three friends climbed out of the Jade's white 1998 Toyota Camry, which Bobby so happily offered to drive.

"Oh, no! It looks like it's going to rain!" Jade whined, staring up at the darkening sky.

"It'll be fine," Bobby assured her. "It's not supposed to rain _that_ hard. Now let's go get in line!"

Jade, Melanie and Bobby walked toward the baseball stadium together. Melanie linked her arm with Jade's and they smiled at each other happily. The young adults got their tickets checked and then broke through the crowd to enter Comerica Park. Jade chuckled as Melanie scanned the area with her eyes, grinning as she absorbed the sights, sounds and smells.

"This is incredible!" Melanie squealed.

"And the game hasn't even started yet!" Bobby laughed.

"Let's go get something to eat," Jade suggested. "I haven't eaten anything all day—been saving room for the stuff here!"

Jade led the way to the different booths around the park. She stopped at the Food Network stand and got some delectable fare that you would not expect to find at a ballpark. Bobby got the classic—a sausage with onions and green peppers. Melanie settled with a slice of Little Caesar's deep dish. Then they all got a few beers, embracing their newly found freedom to drink in public legally.

The three friends finally took their seats—a few rows back near third base; great seats. Bobby's parents always got season tickets so they would give the "kids" some every once in a while. But it had been what seemed like forever since Jade had been to a Tigers game. She strongly enjoyed watching her Detroit teams—she even played Fantasy Football.

From left to right, it was Melanie, Jade and Bobby. Melanie and Bobby had only known each for a few months so Jade grasped her role as being the bridge between the two. More storm clouds rolled in as everyone stood for the National Anthem. Once seated, Jade prayed… but was she praying for the rain to stay away or come? She wasn't sure. She just did not feel comfortable being so close to the Detroit Tigers.

Melanie cheered loudly when Max Scherzer threw his first pitch, while Bobby clapped and whooped. Jade just sat quietly and tried her best to smile, patting her hands together slowly.

Just as Jade started to relax, the rain clouds began to burst. A few drops at first but then it came down in sheets. The tarp was rushed out onto the field and the players and umpires took refuge in the dugouts. The crowd quickly got up from their seats and headed underneath the roof.

"What do we do?" Jade asked her friends, yelling over the slamming sound of the rain.

"Do we just go home? I mean, it doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon. They'll probably just reschedule it," Melanie said solemnly.

"Yeah, maybe we should…" Jade agreed quickly.

"Now wait just a moment, ladies. We can't leave!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Why not?" The best friends asked in unison.

"Because, sometimes, when there are rainouts, the players will come out and sign autographs… ya know, as long as the rain clears up." Bobby grinned mischievously.

"I'm game," Melanie said concisely.

Jade turned to Melanie with a pleading look. "Are you sure? I mean…"

"C'mon, Jade. It'll be fun! We'll get to meet pro baseball players—and they're Tigers! Let's stick around!" Melanie gushed.

Jade sighed, rolling her eyes back into her head. "All right, we can stay."

Most of the crowd left, figuring that the game would be rescheduled. A handful of people hid around the makeshift restaurants that circled the actual ballpark. Jade texted her parents, telling them what happened. They wouldn't find out about the rainout until later since it was a day game during the week.

The rain eventually petered out to a light sprinkle and the friends noticed people crowding around need the dugout. Melanie grabbed Jade's hand and led her down to the area where the players were coming out to show their appreciation.

There was Max Scherzer, Miguel Cabrera, Torii Hunter, and… Alex Avila. Jade's eyes stopped there; they widened and she gulped, a cold sweat starting at her hairline and upper lip. She walked carefully toward the crowd of people.

"Ooh, Jade, check it out!" Melanie muttered humorously under her breath.

"Yeah, check out their tight pants," Jade said weakly.

Each step was getting heavier and heavier and it made it even worse the fact that they were last in line to get their autographs and pictures. The agony was just being drawn out. Melanie went for Torii first.

"Hello, there," Hunter said in a friendly voice. "How are you ladies and gentleman doing?"

"Great!" Melanie chirped. "This is my first Tigers game!"

"Aw, well, I'm sorry that it was rained out!" Torii said in a sympathetic voice.

"Naw, it's fine! It just means that I got to meet you guys!" Melanie gestured to the other players around them.

Jade got her Gryffindor journal that her sister got her in London signed by all the Tigers that were there and then she got to Avila.

Alex's attention perked up when he saw the thin redhead. Her skin was porcelain and her cleavage was peeking out through the bandeau she wore underneath her tank top.

"Hi," Jade murmured, waving slightly to the catcher.

"Hi," he mimicked. Alex began to stare… he knew this girl from somewhere. "Do I know you?"

Jade froze—oh, no. "Um, I don't think so?" She lied. _I was just at that bachelor party you were at six months ago_, she thought.

"I feel like I've met you before…" Alex pressed.

"No, I think I would have remembered…" _I only gave you a lap dance._

"Oh, okay then. Would you like a picture together?"

_Oh, I'm sure there's already plenty of pictures of us together._ "Sure," she replied coolly.

Jade handed her phone to Melanie and she posed next to Avila. She was so nervous—she was sure that he could hear her heart beating out of her chest. Remembering the pictures trigged another anxiety-provoking thought process.

Jade was about to walk away when Alex stopped her verbally. "So is this your first game too?"

Jade turns back around, tucking her curly hair behind her ear. "Um, no. My first one was when I was 17. I've been to many since."

It was killing him. Where was this girl from? "What do you do for a living?" Maybe she had done work with the Detroit girls?

"I'm trying to get some modeling jobs… hey! Maybe that's where you know me from!" Jade faked enthusiasm.

"Maybe," Alex mumbled, rubbing his scruffy facial hair. It just did not feel right. "So are you from the Detroit area?" Maybe that was it.

"No, I'm from Grand Rapids, along with Bobby. Melanie is from Kalamazoo," Jade explained. Melanie waves from over by Torii.

Alex continued to question Jade as if she was a suspect and he was a cop, but he tried to stay as nonchalant as possible. He had this hankering that something heavy was hanging over their conversation and possible previous relationship.

The game was eventually called as a reschedule due the fact that the diamond was just too wet to play on. Jade, Bobby and Melanie decided to head home.

"Well, I've got to go," Jade said quietly, waving her hand toward the Tiger.

"Wait; don't you want me to sign that?" Alex points to the Gryffindor journal.

"Uh, yeah, sure, that'd be great!" Jade hands him the book and waits impatiently while he signed it.

"Who do I make it out to?"

"Jade…"

"Here you go…" Alex hands her the journal back. "Have a nice day; hope to see you again!"

Jade turns to follow Melanie and Bobby out of the stadium and back to the car. What did he mean by 'hope to see you again'? Jade highly doubted that their paths would cross again… at least she hoped it would be that way. She did not need to constantly be reminded of the six months she spent in the underbelly of Detroit.

"I'm ready to go back to my place and crash," Jade sighed, sliding into the backseat of the car. She was exhausted from the stress.

"Well, even though we didn't get to see much of the game, I had a lot of fun today!" Melanie said. "Torii is a really nice guy."

"Yeah, he is," Bobby agreed. "It seems like Avila took an interest in you, Jade…"

"Yeah, what was that about?" Melanie turns her head to look at her best friend. "Why did he think he knew you?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, I don't know. He must have me confused with someone else…" Jade brushed it off.

Bobby turned on some music—Nine Inch Nails to be exact. He and Jade had been to a few of their concerts together. Meanwhile, Melanie was silently questioning Jade about Alex. Jade eventually communicated to Melanie that she had met Alex previous through her… work. Melanie was really the only one that truly knew the full extent of Jade's dabbling in the night life.

The two friends ceased their conversation once Jade had had enough. Melanie hopped on her phone, wanting to post pictures on Instagram of her and Torii. Jade decided to go through her autographs to count how many she got. Cabrera, Scherzer, Hunter and Avila… but what was this? Next to his signature, Alex wrote his phone number and a note: "Call anytime, Alex." Jade clapped the journal shut, her heart pounding again. She put her knuckles to her mouth and leaned her elbow up against the door of the car, watching downtown Detroit pass her by.


	2. Chapter 2

Jade paced her living room nervously, her palms sweating. She let out a loud, exaggerated sigh and then plopped down on her couch-the Gryffindor journal on the coffee table in front of her, open to the page where Alex Avila's autograph is scribbled across the old-style paper.

"Oh, God," Jade groans, putting her face in her hands.

Her blood ran cold-what should she do? She would just die if Alex ever figured out where she was from… but he was nice, and oh-so cute! She had not been much of a risk-taker in the six months since she left the club, but before then, she was a wild child. But maybe this was the right push. And who knows? Maybe something magnificent could happen-though she highly doubted it.

"I'm going to do it!" Jade announced to the empty apartment. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and carefully dialed the number. "Wait, no!" Jade backspaced the digits and opened her text messaging.

_Hey, it's Jade from the baseball game yesterday…_

A few minutes went by. Jade began to shake, anxiety overcoming her. What if he doesn't remember her? Seriously, why would he ever remember _her_? Jade's phone vibrated and she about jumped out of her skin.

_Hey, Jade. How's it going?_

Jade bit her lip and began to tap her fingers on the screen.

_Nothing, just chilling. You?_

The young redhead sucked in a breath. Was she seriously texting Alex Avila—her _favorite_ Tiger? This must be a dream. "Just play it cool," she whispered to herself.

_I just got out of training. I have the rest of the day off._

_Oh, that's cool! Have any plans? _Jade did not realize it but she was sending some major vibes toward Alex.

_No, I don't actually. Do you..?_

Jade's heart began to pound. She knew exactly where this was going. She decided to be honest.

_Nope. My day is wide open!_

Jade smiled to herself. Wow. She was practically throwing herself at this Tiger. Well, this was what she considered "throwing herself" at someone. There were a few minutes of silence. Jade just sat in anticipation. She felt flattered that Alex was actually thinking this through. But finally…

_Would you like to go to dinner or something?_

Jade chuckled to herself.

_Or something..?_

_I don't know. Whatever you want._

_Dinner sounds lovely. Do you have a place in mind?_

_I know a great coney dog place._

Jade scoffed humorously. Of _course _he would ask her to go to a coney dog place. Classic Detroit.

_That sounds fantastic. Text me the address._

Jade learned many things during her time as an exotic dancer and one of them was, be wary of new men. She was not about to give her address to some guy she doesn't even know-even if he is a Detroit Tiger.

Alex sent her the desired information and they both decided to meet each other around 5 pm. Jade ended the conversation, explaining that she had some things to do… which was partially a lie. She just wanted time to figure out what she is going to say on this… date-thing?

Jade sat on her couch for a few moments, her hands resting against the cushion on either side of her. She was not sure if she was in shock or if she was just nervous that she felt nothing. She was going to have dinner with Alex Avila—_the_ Alex Avila—the one she danced up on during the bachelor party he went to several months ago. He was so cute that night, and so thoroughly embarrassed.

Oh, wow. That felt like a lifetime ago for Jade. The seven months she spent working at that strip club were hardly forgettable. She was ashamed of it, but then not. She met some amazing people, and well… not so amazing people. But that's life.

Jade decided she better get ready. She still had to shower, do her hair, her makeup and find a cute outfit to wear. She was going to keep it really casual—jeans and a T-shirt. If he saw more of her, maybe he would recognize her sooner…

Dark wash skinny jeans, a ratty, off-the-shoulder Nine Inch Nails 'Pretty Hate Machine' shirt, brown and camouflage combat boots, a charcoal smoky eye with winged liner and round, 90's-style sunglasses—this was Jade's idea of casual. She looked at herself one more time in the mirror and grabbed one of the few purses she owned. She was off on another adventure.

When Jade got to her car, she copied and pasted the address from Alex's text into her GPS and then started her vehicle up. The ride to the restaurant was uneventful—she just listened to Soundgarden and admired the city that was enclosed around her.

Jade parks her car in the small parking lot next to the divey-looking coney dog place. She looks around, scanning the area for Alex. Her phone then vibrates. It was Alex:

_Hey, I'm in the black SUV across the street. It was too busy in the restaurant. I almost got mobbed._

Jade just shook her head, smiling; life as a Tiger.

_Okay… what about dinner?_

_Already got it._

Jade looked over at the SUV to find that Alex had rolled down the window and he had a brown paper bag in his hand. She crossed her arms, looking stubborn to play with him, but eventually jogged her way over to the car. Jade got into the passenger seat.

"You're not going to kidnap and murder me, are you?" She asks with half-sarcasm.

Alex looked scared for a moment but then he relaxed. "Here's your dinner," he offered, handing a coney dog wrapped in tin foil.

"Thanks," Jade replied, smiling weakly. She unwrapped the coney dog and just as she was about to take a bite, she caught Alex staring. "Are you just going to sit there and watch me eat?"

"Uh… no…" Alex failed to recover. "I just want to see if you like it."

The corners of Jade's mouth turned up. He was just as nervous as she was. She then took a huge bite out of the coney dog, chewing it slowly. She smiles and gives him a thumbs up. Alex relaxed further and then ate his dinner.

They ate their dinner in silence, the awkwardness creeping up on them. Jade took a swig of water and then reached for the bag to grab a napkin. Just then, Alex glances at her forearm—blue butterflies. He knew exactly where he had seen that ink before.

Alex's eyes grew wide. He looked Jade up and down, picturing her in a push-up bra and lacey panties—not to be pervy, but to make sure he was accurate. And sure enough, he could see it. Oh, what was her "name..?"

"Heaven," Alex murmured without realizing he was vocalizing his thoughts.

Jade froze and her chest grew tight. "W-what did you just call me?" She stuttered. Her eyes were large and doe-like.

Alex's cheeks flushed. He did not want to upset her—just to know the truth. "Heaven," he said again. "Your stage name was Heaven…"

Jade sucked in a breath but did not let it out right away. She then hung her head in shame. "What gave it away?"

"Your tattoo—the butterflies; I remembered how much I liked them," Alex said in a soothing, consoling voice.

Jade put her hand over the flock of Karner Blue butterflies and looked up at the catcher. She was trying not to cry. Was this going to follow her around everywhere she goes? "I was hoping you wouldn't remember…"

"Why?"

"Because I was a fucking stripper and I gave you a lap dance that you obviously did not want and I just made a fool out of myself and I embarrassed you in front of your friends!" Tears sprung from her eyes. "Jesus Christ, and now I'm continuing that streak. I'm fucking crying in front of Alex Avila—my favorite Tiger!"

"Wait, I'm your favorite?" Alex didn't care about that night. All he got from that was he was her favorite.

Jade held her breath from a moment and ceased wiping her tears. Her heart lightened as she looked into Alex's eyes—they were beautiful and kind. Jade then burst into laughter. "Yes," she laughed. "You're my favorite."

"Well, all right then…" Alex said with pride. After a moment, he put his hand on Jade's seemingly fragile shoulder. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. I really don't care."

"You don't?" Jade was completely puzzled. "How? Why not?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know! It just doesn't bother me. If we were all judged by our past, then no one would like anyone."

"…Thanks," Jade sniffled.

"You're welcome." Alex smiled.

Jade studied his face. He was so _cute._ She had always liked him with the thick five o' clock shadow. And his eyebrows were on point—she loved a man with big eyebrows. And do not even get her started on his hair—it was _so_ thick. Jade adored the way he got helmet hair.

Then a powerful urge overcame Jade. She leaned forward and pecked Alex on the cheek, catching him by surprise.

"W-what was that for?" Alex asked, confused but happy.

"For being so sweet and understanding…" Jade bit her lip. She wanted so badly to go further at this moment but did not want to get on to a bad second start with Alex. She wanted him to respect her, and so far, he's doing a kickass job. But he was just so… delightful! "Listen, I've got to go. I have a gig tomorrow at 8 am…"

"A modeling gig?"

He remembered. Aw. "Yep, I try my best. Those low-end jeans won't wear themselves!" Jade swung her fist in the air, smiling mockingly.

"Well, I don't want to keep you; best of luck!"

Jade put her hand on Alex's. "Thank you again, Alex." She smiled warmly.

"You're welcome, Jade. I hope we can do this again sometime."

"I would love that." She gave Alex's handle a gentle squeeze and then exited the SUV to return to her car.

Suppressing a grin, Jade wrapped her arms around her abdomen. That was probably the more successful date she had ever had… and it wasn't really even a date! She felt over the moon and could not wait to see Alex again.


	3. Chapter 3

Jade and Alex continued to text each other, trying their best to find days they could hang out together but Alex's crazy schedule made it a challenge. They went out to eat a few times and Jade felt herself growing more and more attracted to the Tiger. She wasn't afraid to be around him anymore since she has found that he doesn't judge her.

Jade was finishing the final touches on her makeup—she and Alex were going to the Detroit Zoo—when her phone rang. "Hello?" She said pleasantly, not even bothering to check the caller I.D.

"Hey, it's raining," Alex said from the other line, disappointment in his voice.

"Oh, no! I haven't even checked outside—I've been getting ready!" Jade poked her head out of her bathroom to find a downpour slamming against her windows.

"So is there another place you have in mind that we could go to?"

"Well, you could always just come over to my place," she replied without thinking it through.

There was hesitation on the other end. "Are-are you sure?"

"Yeah! We could watch a movie, order takeout and maybe play some games or something; it'll be fun!" Jade said with nonchalance.

"All right… I'll be over in a few."

"Kay!" Jade chirped. She ended the call and texted her address to Alex.

Jade did understand that Alex was nervous—she wasn't oblivious to that. She was a tad uneasy about it too, but they were getting along so great and he would have to come over sooner or later. She just brushed the thoughts off and continued with her makeup.

The buzzer went off and Jade padded over to it. "Come on up," she said quickly, unlocking the door for Alex. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Alex drenched in the hallway. "Oh my God, you're soaked!" She laughed.

"Yeah," he said with false frustration. "Like I said, it's raining."

"Well, come on in," she offered, gesturing to her apartment. "Let me take your jacket and hang it up…" Jade pulled the piece of clothing off Alex and walked into her bathroom to drape it over the shower. She then came back into her living room to find Alex taking a peek around. "Like what you see?" She said amusingly, crossing her arms.

Alex jumped a little—he didn't see her there. "Yeah, nice place…"

"Yeah, it's all right. I like it." There was a moment of silence. "Go ahead, you can ask…"

"What?" Alex asked, turning to look at Jade.

"How I afford this place—you can ask me how. I know you're wondering it." Jade shrugged.

"H-how do you afford this place..?" He was wondering it. It was a [i]_nice[/i] _apartment and she was just an aspiring model.

Jade strode over to Alex. "Well," she began. "I saved everything I earned doing… well, dancing. I don't mean to be improper, but I would make like a thousand dollars a night doing what I did—and that didn't include bachelor parties." She cocked an eyebrow and Alex started to turn red again.

Alex stared into Jade's lovely blue eyes and thought for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot—I'm an open book with you at this point." Jade smiled assuredly.

"Why-why did you… dance?" His brows furrowed, just waiting for Jade to lash out at him.

"That, Alex, is a [i]_very[/i]_ good question. But it's a sit-down kind of conversation." She turned on her heel and plopped down on her couch, patting the spot next to her. He followed her, taking a seat next to her—but not too close. "When I moved to Detroit, I was planning to go to Mercy—I was accepted and everything, but I hated it. College life was not for me. I've always been told that I'm pretty enough to be a model and I guess I take it too seriously…" Jade bit her lip and then continued. "I didn't have a job and I didn't have any money, so I started to dance. I know, I know—there are other possibilities out there but to be honest, I just love to dance—I just don't like all the grabby men. But it was a sacrifice I made. Part of me is extremely ashamed of it but the other part of me loved it because I learned so much about myself. So, that's that…" She grimaced, waiting for Alex's reaction.

Alex was quiet for a moment, absorbing all that Jade has said. "I understand that…"

"What? What part?" Jade's eye widened a little bit.

"You took something that you loved and made it a job… that's what I did—and still do." Alex was trying his best to fully comprehend what Jade was explaining to him. He really didn't know what to say so he just kind of said the first thing that popped into his head—baseball. How could he connect this with baseball..?

Jade smirked. This guy was too good to be true—he's either really pervy and it turned him on or he was just that understanding. She figured and was hoping it was the latter considering he was a red tomato when she was giving him a lap dance.

"I have another question…" Alex mentioned, wincing as he put his finger up.

"Uh, go ahead…"

"Did you ever um… ya know… with your, what are they called? Clients?" He bit his lip—now this question was surely going to send her over the edge, but he had to ask it.

"Oh, God no!" She scoffs humorously. "I may not be the best Catholic in the world, but I'm not [i]_that[/i]_ bad, don't worry." She began to laugh and Alex joined in. "Ah, now I have a question for you…"

"Go ahead," Alex said, nodding.

"Have you, um, told anyone about me?" Jade tilted her head to the right. "I mean, I know we've only been seeing each other a few weeks, but I was just wondering…"

"No, I haven't... I figured I'd talk to you first before I put you into that position." Alex felt bad all of a sudden—was she just looking for her fifteen minutes of fame?

"I haven't told anyone about you either—not even Melanie," Jade replied.

Well, guess that answers that question. "Really? Wow…"

"Like you, I didn't want to put you in that position. I didn't feel I had the right to." Jade's mouth slanted.

"Well, thank you for that, and I don't mean to offend you by saying that. It's just… I wouldn't want it to ruin what we have here. I don't think it—[i]_we're[/i]_ ready for that."

"Yeah, I agree." Jade smiled and it was followed by a few second of silence. "Well, do you want to watch a movie?"

"Uh, sure! Which one?" Alex repositioned himself in his seat.

"Let's see…" Jade got up and walked over to her entertainment center, opening up the doors to the cabinets full of movies. "I have all these and then a bunch of pirated ones on my Xbox 360." She looked back at the catcher over on the couch.

"I don't care. What are you in the mood for?"

"Disney?" It seemed ridiculous for Jade to suggest such a thing—they were both adults. But she didn't want to have anything sexual sneaking onto the TV—she could already feel the tension between them… or maybe it was just her.

"Name some off…"

"Let's see… Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Tangled, and ooh! Aladdin! I absolutely love this movie. I would watch it every day when I was five—that and Nightmare Before Christmas."

"Interesting combination…" Alex commented, suppressing a laugh. "Do you want to watch that one? You can pick."

Jade thought a moment—there was [i]_some[/i]_ sexual tension between Jasmine and Aladdin but she could handle it. "Yeah, this one." She turned on the flat screen and the DVD player. She popped the disc in and skipped back onto the couch, jumping down next to Alex—this time, right next to him. Their thighs were even touching it made Jade's heart flutter.

Throughout the duration of the 90-minute movie, Jade and Alex gradually got closer to each other. Alex was even bold enough to wrap his arm around her and that led Jade to curl up and rest her head on his chest.

As the credits scrolled by, Jade looked up at Alex just as he was looking down at her. They stared into each other's eyes, enticed by what they saw. Alex finally got the courage to crane his neck down, prompting Jade to lift hers up. Their lips met and sparks flew. Jade lied on her back, pulling Alex on top of her by this shirt. Their tongues wrestled back and forth as their eyes closed, enjoying the exquisite moment.

Alex's hand started on Jade's thigh and traveled to her hip, his, fingers playing with the belt loop of her jeans. Jade's shirt had naturally lifted up a few inches and Alex ran his fingertips across his skin, raising goose bumps. He smiled into the kiss as he grew harder. His hand then went under her shirt, still traveling farther and farther up.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jade said through kisses.

"What is it?" Alex asked, concerned.

"Your hand… it's up my shirt…"

Alex immediately pulled his hand out. "Oh, I'm sorry… I just thought…"

Jade sighed, putting her hands on either side of Alex's head, pulling him in for a quick kiss. "I want to so badly, you know have no idea," she said, lips pressed against his.

"Then what's stopping you?"

"We're not even officially dating… I don't want our relationship to start out like this. It's happened to me in the past and it always ended with major, unhealthy commitment issues. I don't want that to happen to us." She sighed again, feeling stupid.

Alex kissed Jade's forehead. "I understand. I'm sorry if I went to fast. I don't want you to ever feel pressured…"

"Oh, there's no need to pressure me. I'm good to go on that level," she giggled.

Alex chuckled and kissed her again. "I just hope we can finish this someday…"

"Oh, me too."

"Well, I should probably go. I've got stuff to do." Ahem, jerk off.

"Yeah, same here—lots of stuff." Ahem, masturbate.

Alex climbed off of Jade and walked toward the door.

"Wait, your jacket!" Jade quickly ran into the bathroom, snatching up the now-dry jacket.

"Thanks," Alex grinned. He kissed her once more.

"You're welcome," Jade replied with a girlish grin.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm just _so _nervous," Jade said, exasperated. She frantically brushed some blush on her cheeks and turned to look at Alex.

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "You've already met some of the guys before."

"Yeah, but that was when I was just a _fan_. Now I'm… more than that." She tilted her head to the right, staring at the Tiger that stood in the doorway of her bathroom. Jade sighed and walked past Alex, making her way to her bedroom.

"The rest of the team will love you! You have nothing to worry about." Alex followed her and waited outside her closed bedroom door.

Jade undressed from her clothing and clasped her bustier, twisting it around her body to support her breasts. She then grabbed her dress—a _beautiful_, glittery black and white ombre number with a V-neckline and triangular straps held to the dress by a gemstone. Jade pulled her new silver studded heels out of their box and exited her room. "Zip me up?"

"Sure," Alex said happily. He gripped the small zipper in his fingers and it slid up with ease. "Ready to go?"

"Just a sec…" Jade muttered. She pinched the edges of Alex's bowtie and straightened it out. "Now I'm ready!"

Alex held out a bent arm and Jade hooked hers around it. They walked out of her apartment looking hot and ready to party with the rest of the Detroit Tigers. The two of them were going to a benefit dinner for the White Caps at some fancy restaurant in Grand Rapids that had a name that Jade could not pronounce. It was so nice that she had never even heard of it herself.

"You're quiet," Alex stated, moving his gaze from the road to Jade. She was running the tip of her finger against the car door. Jade shrugged. "Jade, seriously, you're going to do great."

Jade sighed deeply. "It's just… I've never even really met any of them before and we're going to this super elegant restaurant and I'm wearing this… _ridiculous_ dress!" Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Listen, Jade, you look amazing and you have nothing to be afraid of. I'll be right by your side the whole time and you'll have a great time, I promise."

Jade sat up, lips pouting. "All right… if you say so…" She then kissed Alex's cheek and began to relax.

Practically leaning on Alex and with each shaky step, Jade strutted into the dining room. She smiled uncomfortably once she saw everyone coming over toward her. Jade waved, not knowing what to with her free hand.

Just then, Kate—yes, _the_ Kate Upton spotted them. She was dressed in a stunning floor-length silky red dress with halter straps and a deep V-neckline. Kate began to walk over, Justin behind her. Jade sucked in a breath.

"Just keep calm," Alex murmured under his breath, giving Jade's hand a tight squeeze. "Hey, Justin," Alex smiled at his fellow teammate.

"Hey, Alex!" Justin patted Alex on the back. "Who's this you've got with you? Jade, right?"

"Y-yes," Jade stammered, holding out her hand.

Kate then took it. "Don't mind them," she said.

"Nice work," Justin muttered to Alex, nudging him in the ribs.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Sorry, he's already had a few drinks. I'm Kate. It's really nice to finally meet you, Jade."

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too!" Jade grinned, finally feeling comfortable in her own skin.

"Well, I changed the seating placement so that you and Alex are sitting next to Justin and I. I hope that's all right!"

"Oh, that's fine!" Jade was actually kind of relieved. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck right next to Phil Coke.

"Shall we go sit down?" Kate asked, gesturing to the groups of circular tables.

"Sure," Jade shrugged. She followed the beautiful blonde woman over to Table Four. She noticed that Andy Dirks and Phil Coke were also sitting at the table. Jade sat down next to Kate—Justin next to her and Alex next to Jade.

"What is cham-pog-na?" Phil asked the waiter, pointing to the menu.

"It's pronounced 'champagne,' Coke," Justin laughed, shaking his head.

Jade had an amazing night, even with Phil Coke at their table. She met so many Tigers that it was a bit overwhelming at times, but the booze helped with that anxiety. Kate was really sweet. She probably knew what it was like to be the "new girl" when it came to dating a Tiger. Jade really appreciated her friendliness.

Jade and Alex said their good-byes to their friends and piled into a town car that was waiting to drive them to their hotel since they had some drinks. They weren't sloppy drunk—just a little tipsy and they were not about to take any risks.

"So did you have fun?" Alex asked, loosening his bowtie and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his dress shirt.

Jade smiled mischievously. "Maybe…" She laughed.

"Ha! I told you!" He pointed a finger at her.

She grabbed his finger and yanked it out of her face and then giggled. Jade leaned in and kissed Alex, pulling away and leaving him hanging. "No, but really, I had a lot of fun. Kate and Justin are really nice."

"Yeah, they are," Alex agreed, leaning back against the seat. Jade kicked off her shoes and curled up next to Alex and sat like that the rest of the way to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Jade busted through the door, dragging her suitcase behind her. "Ugh, get me out of this dress!"

"With pleasure!" Alex cracked, closing the door behind him and taking off his shirt. Jade turned around, signaling Alex to unzip her. He did so and she slipped out of the gown. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. "You're so beautiful…"

Jade twisted around in his arms, putting hers around behind his neck. "And you're so handsome," she breathes, pressing her lips against his.

Their kiss grew deeper and more passionate as they moved toward the bed. Jade climbed on first, her lips still entrapped in Alex's. She lied on her back, Alex hanging over her. His lips moved down her neck, to her chest and finally at her breasts.

"Wait a second…" Jade sat up and twisted her waist. "Get this thing off me!"

With trembling hands, Alex unclasped Jade's bustier and discarded it on the floor. "Better?"

"Much! Now where were we?"

Alex kissed Jade once more and then quickly returned to her breasts. It was his first time seeing, feeling and touching them—and it was glorious. Jade moaned and hissed in pleasure as he kissed and fondled them—making him grow harder. It was finally happening, and this time… there was no stopping them.

"Oh, Alex," Jade whispered breathlessly. She brought his chin up and kissed him, shoving her tongue in his mouth. Breaking the embrace, she then went for his pants. Her excited hands fumbled with his belt as she glanced up with intensity in her eyes.

"Take it easy," Alex chuckled.

"Don't tell me to take it easy," she retorted playfully. Jade finally was able to unbuckle Alex's belt and unzip his pants. She was flattered at the sight of his full manhood. She pulled him closer to her by around his waist and whispered in his ear, "I want you… now."

The statement sent shivers down his spine. His fingertips traced down her abdomen and to her lacey panties. Alex sat up and slid his fingers into the edges of her underwear, pulling them down. He tenderly kissed below her navel, causing Jade to release a soft whimper. He stood and took off his boxers, putting a condom on and then returned to the bed. Jade latched her legs around him and rolled him onto his back. She straddled him, holding his arms against the bed by his wrists.

"Someone's a little frisky…" Alex chuckled. He reached his lips up until they met Jade's.

"Sh-h," she hissed. Jade kissed him for a quick second and then she sat up. Jade adjusted herself, gripping Alex's member and guiding into her. "Ah-h," she moaned in Alex's ear, her back arching.

Jade rolled her hips as fast as she can, not able to bear the tension anymore. A choppy moan echoed from the back of Alex's throat and Jade slowed down, going into a natural rhythm. She lowered herself down on top of him, her breasts pressed against his chest. She nipped at Alex's earlobe, sending more sensations through his body. Jade smiled to herself.

"You're a bad boy, aren't you?" She whispered harshly.

"Y-yes," he groaned, throwing his head back.

Jade sat up and began to thrust her hips in a tight, concise fashion. Her hands traveled along Alex's chest and she grabbed his sides for leverage. Faster and faster, their pelvises grinded together. Jade's brows furrowed together and her mouth gaped open, the endorphins releasing. Deep grunts released from Alex's chest and throat.

"Oh, yes!" Jade moaned.

"Fuck!" Alex exclaimed, smacking Jade's butt, causing her cry out.

As Jade started to reach her climax, her body got closer and closer to Alex's until she was holding herself up by her shaky left arm. She kissed Alex's chest sloppily, breathing heavily. The sumptuous ache between her legs was growing in power and pressure was building throughout her skull. She shut her eyes, absorbing the moment until she felt Alex's hand touch her cheek. He brushed a sweaty piece of hair out of her face. They stared into each other's eyes and for a moment nothing else mattered.

Jade snapped back into reality and sped up her thrusting until her hips were rigid and tight. A wave of pleasure washed over her body, her eyebrows arching and her mouth wide open. She bit her lip and thrust a few more times until Alex was finished. She then collapsed on top of him, overwhelmed.

Jade laid on top of him for what seemed like ages but was probably only a few minutes. She then rolled off of him, one arm and leg still draped over him. Alex turned onto his side, staring at Jade lazily. He placed his hand on her waist and leaned in close, lips brushing against lips.

"That was lovely," Jade breathed.

"I agree," Alex whispered.

They both burst into laughter, amused at their speechlessness. Alex planted a big kiss on Jade's cheek and then slid out of bed. He pulled off the condom and threw it in the trash, then walking over to his pile of clothes, put his boxers back on. Jade just watched him, mesmerized by his movements. She then decided to put her panties back on—along with a bandeau that she brought along. The two of them climb back into bed together, tangling up in each other's limbs.

"I wonder if any of your teammates heard us," Jade chuckled.

"Well, I've heard Kate and Justin plenty of times. It was about time for some payback." Alex kissed Jade and smiled humorously.


End file.
